BC Forest Service Timeline

This timeline of forestry-related milestones & events was produced by John Parminter. If you have things to add or corrections to it, please contact us. You can sort this information by clicking on "Date", "Item" or "Source".

Date

Item

Source

1778

First recorded use of BC timber by European man - Captain James Cook cut ships spars at Nootka Sound.

Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Act authorized a grant of public land to the Dominion of Canada to aid in that railway's construction.

Reid

1880

Timber, Mines and Grazing Branch formed in the Department of Interior.

Taylor

1883

Pursuant to an Act of 1880, agreement made to grant 14 MM acres of the Railway Belt, including 3.4 MM acres in the Peace River Block substituted for certain poor lands in the Railway Belt, 1883-1884.

Reid

1884

Railway Belt transferred to the Dominion of Canada.

Taylor

1884

Timber Act required licences to harvest timber and imposed a fee based on volume cut.

Ross

1886

First Crown Timber Agent appointed at New Westminster, T.S. Higginson.

Taylor and Project 87

1886

First timber reserves (forest parks) established along the CPR right-of-way.

Taylor

1887

Land Act amended such that public lands chiefly valuable for timber are not to be disposed of by public or private sale, declaration required that the land is not chiefly valuable for its timber. Timber cutting rights (except for domestic purposes and improvements) prohibited on future Crown grants unless a licence is first obtained requiring payments of 25 cents per M board feet. Lands containing the timber reservation were later referred to as patented lands.

Reid and Ross

1888

First provincial Timber Inspector appointed, May 25, R.J. Skinner.

Parminter and Project 87

1888

Special Timber Licences up to 1000 acres and one year, not transferable. $50 per licence.

Reid

1888

Land Act consolidated with the Timber Act and provided for 30-year licences based on a commitment to build a mill.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 1996-1997

1890

Donkey engines in general use.

Orchard, C.D. UBC Special Collections Division papers, folder 2-18

1890

Timber Mark Act provided for registered ownership marks to be applied to logs floated or rafted.

Term of Timber Leases reduced to 21 years and they must first have been offered for public competition. Required a mill appurtenant to the lease cutting at least 1000 board feet per day for each 400 acres under lease. If it was not already in existence then a deposit of 10 cents per acre was required to guarantee construction.

Reid and Ross

1894

Official Scalers Act for measurement of timber.

Reid

1894

A. Haslam and R.H. Alexander appointed as commissioners to investigate scaling problem and make recommendations.

Land Act amendment established condition of building a sawmill attached to each Timber Lease (contradiction of 1892 note?).

Project 87

1899

Sale of timber lands (8 Mfbm/acre Coast, 5 Mfbm Interior) prohibited.

Reid

1900

Canadian Forestry Association formed.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 1996-1997

1901

Crown timber office opened in Kamloops.

Taylor

1901

First federal fire rangers appointed.

Taylor

1901

Land Act amendments dictated that all timber cut under lease or licence was to be manufactured in the province (how does this relate to Timber Manufacture Act of 1906?), leases made renewable for consecutive and successive periods of 21 years.

Project 87

1901

Pulp leases of up to 21 years at 2 cents per acre rent and 25 cents per M board feet royalty and other provisions, on condition that a pulp or paper mill be erected capable of producing one ton of pulp or 1/2 a ton of paper for each square mile of the lease. Mill to operate at least 6 months per year unless relieved.

Reid and Ross

1901

Timber Leases made renewable for 21 years.

Reid

1902

Long Lake Forest Reserve (B.C.'s first forest reserve) created.

Taylor

1902

Timber Measurement Act required the use of the British Columbia Log Scale and replaced the Official Scalers Act of 1894.

Special Timber Licences made transferable and renewable so long as sufficient merchantable timber exists to make it commercially valuable.

Reid

1911

Canadian Forestry Convention held in Quebec City, January 18 – 21.

1911

Canadian Western Lumber Company purchases overhead cable skidders, ushering in the high-lead era.

First cable-way skidder in B.C. Western Lumberman 8(3):28. March 1911

1911

Forest Reserves and Parks Act.

Taylor

1911

Timber Leases restricted to 640 acres or less.

Reid

1912

BC Forest Branch created, Chief Forester hired, February.

Project 87

1912

Forest Act.

Reid

1912

Timber Sale Licence introduced.

Project 87

1913

Five additional forest reserves created in the Railway Belt.

Taylor

1913

Provided two years for the conversion of 16- and 21-year Special Timber Licences into perpetually renewable and transferable licences by a surrender and replacement process.

Reid

1914

Elk River Valley Provincial Forest created, December 31 (first one).

Project 87

1914

The term "stumpage" was adopted and defined as the amount payable for Crown timber in addition to rents, royalties and taxes.

Reid

1914

Timber Royalty Act fixed royalties for the next 50 years.

Reid

1914

Six month period to obtain 30-year renewals of existing Pulp Leases at the same terms and a royalty of 25 cents per cord; licence required for cutting timber on the lease for other than pulp manufacture.

Reid

1915

HR MacMillan appointed Special Trade Commissioner.

Project 87

1915

Forest Act Relief Act allowed renewals of Special Timber Licences that had expired for non-payment of fees upon payment of additional levies based on the length of delay (up to one year).

Reid

1916

Free Use Permits for settlers.

Reid

1917

Pulp Licences made appurtenant to pulp mills and holdings not to exceed a 30-year supply for the mill.

Reid

1917

Aeroplane spruce program with the Imperial Munitions Board.

Project 87

1918

Vancouver Forest Products Lab established.

Taylor

1918

”Forests of British Columbia” by H.N. Whitford and R.D. Craig published by the Commission of Conservation.

Aeroplane Spruce-cutting Act enabled special permits for the cutting of spruce from public or private lands by persons authorized by the Minister, subject to compensation at $6 per Mfbm for No. 1 logs and $2.50 per Mfbm for No. 2 logs.

Reid

1919

Dominion Air Board established.

Project 87

1919

Competitive exams for Ranger selection.

Project 87

1919

Dominion Forest (Insect) Lab opens in Vernon.

Taylor

1919

Slash disposal provisions enacted.

Reid

1919

First discovery of a forest fire from the air in B.C., by Harry Brown in a Curtiss JN-4.

Parminter, 1986

1919

Grazing administration by BC Forest Branch.

Parminter, Project 87

1919

Provision to substitute a Pulp Licence for a Special Timber Licence.

Reid

1920

Scaling Fund established.

Reid

1920

Royalty payments for merchantable timber left uncut in logging operations.

Reid

1921

Federal seed extractory constructed at New Westminster.

Taylor

1921

Pulp District may be created by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to secure the establishment or continuance of a pulp mill. Pulp wood defined and exempted from the Timber Royalty Act.

Reid

1922

Fire-fighting costs could be reimbursed 100%, under specified circumstances, instead of the former 50% rate. Provisions for closure of a district due to danger of forest fires and taking emergency actions in the closed area.

Reid

1923

Research began in BC Forest Branch.

Schmidt, Ralph L. and John Parminter. 2006. An early history of the Research Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range. viii + 91 p.

1924

Aleza Lake Experiment Station established.

Project 87

1924

Timber Royalty Act repealed and replaced by Royalty Act.

Reid and Project 87

1925

Use of aerial photographs in forest inventory.

Project 87

1925

Forest Reserve Account created based on 3% of gross royalty or tax and stumpage receipts to meet the cost of development and protection of forest reserves, the planting of denuded areas and maintenance of timber crops in forest reserves.

Reid and Project 87

1927

Forest Surveys established in BCFS.

Parminter

1927

Experimental forest nursery started on Shelbourne Street, Victoria.

Project 87

1927

Permits required for campfires during the fire season.

Reid

1927

Authorized the surrender of Pulp Leases and replacement by Special Timber Licences on payment of any difference between rentals paid and those that would have been paid under a licence.

Reid

1928

Provision for cutting and disposal of sawlogs from Pulp Leases other than for pulp manufacture on payment of the appropriate difference in rentals and royalties in comparison with a Timber Licence.

Reid

1929

Green Timbers property set aside.

Project 87

1929

Cowichan Lake Experiment Station established.

Project 87

1929

Further provisions for replacement of old Timber Licences by renewable and transferable Special Timber Licences.

Reid

1930

Railway Belt Retransfer Agreement Act validated the federal - provincial agreement reconveying the unsold Railway Belt lands to the province; province to honour terms of federal Timber Berth agreements made during the time they managed the lands.

Reid

1930

Transfer of Resources Act - unalienated lands in the Railway Belt and Peace River Block transferred to the province of B.C. and few remaining staff transferred to Vancouver.

Taylor

1930

Green Timbers Nursery established in Surrey.

Project 87

1930

Green Timbers plantation established in Surrey, March 15.

1930

Repeal of timber tax provisions for timber not subject to royalty. Tax had been rebateable if the timber was manufactured in the province.

Reid

1935

Young Men's Forestry Training Plan financed by Department of Labour, administered by the Forest Branch.

H.R. MacMillan appointed Timber Controller for the Dominion of Canada.

Project 87

1941

E.C. Manning killed in air crash near Armstrong, Ontario on February 6.

Project 87

1943

Sloan Royal Commission appointed, December 31.

Reid

1945

Deputy Minister of Forests appointed, making Forests a department under the Minister of Lands and Forests, BC Forest Branch became BC Forest Service.

Reid and Project 87

1945

Sloan Royal Commission report submitted, December.

Reid

1946

Forest Service Training School established.

Project 87

1946

Koksilah Nursery established at Duncan.

Project 87

1946

Silvicultural Fund established, comprised of not more than 50% of stumpage for timber in the Interior, to be used for hazard abatement and silvicultural treatment incidental to removing the existing stand.

Reid

1947

Forest land defined in the Forest Act as land which will find its best economic use under a forest crop. Sale of forest land as well as timber land prohibited under the Land Act.

Reid and Project 87

1947

Stumpage payments required under Timber Sale Licences to be inclusive of royalty.

Reid

1947

Forest Management Licences authorized by the Forest Act.

Reid and Project 87

1947

Provision for a 10,000 acre university forest for demonstration and teaching.

Reid

1947

An Act Respecting the Practice of Forestry, April. Created the Association of British Columbia Foresters, now the Association of British Columbia Forest Professionals.

Burch and Parminter

1948

Forest Development Fund of $2.5MM established for the building and financing of forest roads, to be replenished at a rate based on the amount of timber transported over the road.

Reid

1948

Parks and Recreation Division created in BC Forest Service from Parks Section of Economics Division.

Chief Forester authorized to make agreements with private land occupiers for reforestation of those lands and to provide seedlings free or at less than cost for that purpose.

Reid

1950

Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway Belt Land Tax Act imposed a provincial tax of 25% of the actual assessed value of the land and timber at the date of alienation in respect of any lands alienated after February 20, 1946.

Forest Surveys and Inventory Division created in BC Forest Service from Forest Economics Division.

Project 87

1951

Federal meteorologist seconded to BC Forest Service.

Herfst 1982

1952

Forest Insect Survey expands to include forest diseases.

Taylor

1952

The Minister directed that all subsequent Timber Sale Licences and Forest Management Licence Cutting Permits will require timber to be scaled in cubic feet.

Reid

1953

Federal Northern Affairs and Natural Resources.

Taylor

1953

Provisions whereby the Forest Service may examine alienated land and the Minister may direct the owner of unsatisfactorily stocked forest land to reforest the land at the expense of the owner (in 1955 this was restricted to the Coast).

Reid

1953

Logging Tax Act imposed a provincial tax of 10% on the income derived from logging operations in excess of $25M.

Reid

1954

Regulations to enable registration of mills and logging camps.

Reid

1954

Salvage Sale areas may be established by Order in Council to prevent timber from being lost or destroyed and the Minister may sell the timber as he deems advisable.

Reid

1954

Broadcasts of forest fire hazard on radio stations.

Herfst 1982

1955

Use of helicopters for forest inventory and mapping

Project 87

1955

Forest Protection Fund abolished and consolidated with other Crown revenues and appropriations of funds.

Reid

1955

Second Sloan Royal Commission appointed, January 7.

Project 87

1956

Silviculture Fund abolished and consolidated with other Crown revenues and appropriations of funds.

Reid

1957

Provincial parks provisions removed from the Forest Act and parks administration transferred to the Department of Recreation and Conservation.

Reid

1957

Second Sloan Royal Commission report submitted to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, July.

Tree Farm Licences provided with a term of 21 years, renewable subject to negotiation (contradicts 1958 entry of Reid).

Project 87

1958

Provisions to prevent collusion and unfair bidding practices in the disposal of Crown timber.

Reid

1958

Stronger provisions made for requiring licensees and land owners to take measures to control insect infestations.

Reid

1958

Provisions to close Log Salvage Districts to enable a log owner to recover a log spill.

Reid

1958

Forest Management Licences changed to Tree Farm Licences, term restricted to 21 years but renewable with terms, stumpage method election eliminated and all stumpage rates to be based on appraisal with allowance for forestry costs.

Reid

1958

Four Boeing Stearman aircraft were converted for use as air tankers in the Vancouver region, capacity of 150 Imperial gallons. Grumman Avenger aircraft were converted at about the same time, to drop 500 Imperial gallons.

Reverted forest roads may be declared by the Minister to be Forest Service Roads.

Reid

1964

Timber Sale Licence may require the licensee to carry out silvicultural work and may provide for compensation for the work as an offset against stumpage or by appropriated funds.

Reid

1964

Bidding fee required of persons other than the applicant for sales in a fully committed Public Sustained Yield Unit or an emergency area.

Reid

1964

Tree Farm Licence defined to include all such licences granted prior to 1958.

Reid

1965

Pacific Forest Research Centre opens.

Taylor

1965

Timber Sale Licence may require the licensee to construct a primary access road or carry out a silvicultural treatment as an offset against stumpage.

Reid

1965

Minister authorized to require holders of Special Timber Licences, Pulp Licences, Timber and Pulp Leases to supply timber cruise information and may eliminate areas which do not contain merchantable timber.

Reid

1966

Federal Forestry Branch of the Department of Forestry and Rural Development.

Taylor

1966

Close Utilization Policy, January 1.

Project 87

1966

Provision for controlling the distribution of plant nursery stock to prevent the spread of insects or disease, or for destruction of such stock with compensation.

Reid

1966

Royalty may be calculated on a pro rata basis where more than one rate applies (Close Utilization component or possibly for weight or sample scaling).

Reid

1967

Slash disposal provisions of the Forest Act extended to the entire province.

Project 87

1967

Forest fire drought index chart used.

Herfst 1982

1967

Timber Sale Harvesting Licence (contradicts Project 87 entry).

Parminter

1968

Timber Sale Harvesting Licence (contradicts Parminter entry).

Project 87

1969

Federal Forestry Branch of the Department of Fisheries and Forestry.

Taylor

1969

Production of forest fire danger indices by computer.

Herfst 1982

1970

Vernon Forest Insect Lab closed.

Taylor

1970

Land Act amended to prohibit the disposal of Crown land by Crown grant suitable for timber or pulpwood production except where required for agricultural development or other higher economic use.

Reid

1970

Provision for election of either board foot or cubic scale eliminated and made at the discretion of the Ministry.

New provision requiring lessee or licensee of Crown timber to reforest areas logged under the lease or licence.

Reid

1972

Portions of Old Temporary Tenures (licences and leases) within a Tree Farm Licence to revert to Crown land status when harvested and become part of the TFL if held by the same licensee but if held by another licensee then an Order in Council is required to include the land in the TFL.

Reid

1973

Douglas DC6-B air tanker employed.

Morrison

1974

Timber Products Stabilization Act enacted to authorize regulation of prices paid for wood chips produced in the province for manufacture in the province.

Reid

1974

Task Force on Crown Timber Disposal appointed January 12.

Reid

1974

Improvements on Tree Farm Licences no longer exempted from taxation under the Taxation Act.

Reid

1975

Royal Commission on forestry chaired by Dr. Peter Pearse appointed, June 12.

Forest Service reorganized from Forest Districts and Ranger Districts to Forest Regions and Forest Districts.

Reid

1980

Federal Department of Environment.

Taylor

1980

Section 84 amended to require timber appraisals and stumpage rates to be determined in accordance with the policies and procedures approved by the Minister and varied according to the licence agreement.

Reid

1980

Credit to stumpage broadened to include nurseries and seed orchards.

Reid

1980

Authorized consolidation and subdivision of Tree Farm Licences held by the same person.

Reid

1984

Canadian Forestry Service moved from Environment to Agriculture Canada under the Minister of State for Forestry.

Section 88 of the Forest Act (credits to stumpage) no longer applies for basic silviculture, roads, and bridges, September 15. Industry now responsible for basic silviculture, including reforestation. Amount of wood sold in competetive sales doubled, cut control rules changed to resell or return undercut volumes.

Ministry of Forests and Lands News Release, September 15, 1987

1987

Comparative Value System replaced Rothery System for pricing timber, October 1.

Discussion paper proposing a results-based Forest Practices Code released for comment, May 1.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2001-2002

2002

Forest Renewal BC terminated on June 14 and replaced with the Forest Investment Account to focus on land-based improvements and studies, forestry research, product development, and international marketing.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2001-2002

2002

The federal government announced a $246-million softwood lumber aid package that included a five-year, $40-million investment to assist BC with the mountain pine beetle epidemic, October.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2002-2003

2003

The Forestry Revitalization Plan was introduced to address the competitiveness of the industry while maintaining environmental standards. Eliminated were policies such as minimum cut, requirements to process timber within the same company or at specified mills, mill closure penalties, and restrictions on the transfer and subdivision of tenures, March.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2002-2003

2003

Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. (FII) was incorporated a provincial Crown corporation with a goal to develop and diversify markets for B.C. wood products around the world, March 31.

2003

The McLure fire burned 26 420 hectares, forcing the evacuation of 3800 residents and destroying 81 buildings, July through September.

2003

The Okanagan Mountain Park fire burned 25 000 hectares south and east of Kelowna, forcing the evacuation of more than 27 000 people and destroying 239 homes, August and September.

2003

The mountain pine beetle epidemic increased to cover 4.2 million hectares, double the area in 2002.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2003-2004

2003

The Wildfire Act was introduced to replace or streamline provisions in the Forest Practices Code of B.C. Act and safeguard communities, November.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2003-2004

2004

Forest and Range Practices Act January 31, beginning the transition to a results-based forest practices code.

2004

The Firestorm 2003 Provincial Review report was submitted to the provincial cabinet, February.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2003-2004

2004

A market-based timber pricing system to set stumpage prices for coastal operations was implemented, February 29.

Standards for Seed Use introduced to protect tree gene resources. Apply to anyone planting trees in order to establish a free-growing stand under the Forest and Range Practices Act, April 1.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2004-2005

2005

The mountain pine beetle infestation grew to 8.7 million hectares.

The State of Canada’s Forests, 2005-2006

2005

Land use decisions announced for 6.4 million hectares of the Central Coast and North Coast Land and Resource Management Plan areas. Including 1.8 million hectares of protected areas, adoption of ecosystem-based management (EBM) and a new level of government-to-government cooperation between the province and First Nations.